Mark.... sorry but that is not raku ware, it is Hikidashikuro (Black Seto).

The name translates into about "fire withdrawal black".

Slightly different technique.

In THIS case the water quenching causes the glaze to have sort of a pebbly dry-ish surface and it also causes the clay body to be filled with micro-fractures. This causes the body to lose its hard-fired "ring" factor. Many Chajin (Tea Masters) feel that vitrious stonewares have a harsh sound when the matcha (powdered green tea) is wisked when compared to the teaware "standardbearer"... low fired porous raku wares.

I sometimes do this process in my noborigama. If you look through the photos here ( https://www.facebook...=1&l=7e7b7e21fc ) you'll see a few shots. They are about 1/2 way down the photos. And yeah... it is risky.

I actually water quench my pots after raku firing in a propane kiln, and smoking (post fire reduction)--especially if using a glaze with copper carbonate. Exposure to the air after the reduction causes the glaze to oxidise and lose all the beautiful copper flashes you've achieved in the reduction. Water quenching "sets" the color. I only water quench when using raku clay because it is manufactured to withstand the abrupt thermal changes inherent in this type of firing/reduction. If I use a cone 6 stoneware, I allow the pots to totally cool down in the smoke pot. Using raku clay my losses are less than 10%, stoneware can occasionally rise as high as 40% if not handled carefully.

I actually water quench my pots after raku firing in a propane kiln, and smoking (post fire reduction)--especially if using a glaze with copper carbonate. Exposure to the air after the reduction causes the glaze to oxidise and lose all the beautiful copper flashes you've achieved in the reduction. Water quenching "sets" the color. I only water quench when using raku clay because it is manufactured to withstand the abrupt thermal changes inherent in this type of firing/reduction. If I use a cone 6 stoneware, I allow the pots to totally cool down in the smoke pot. Using raku clay my losses are less than 10%, stoneware can occasionally rise as high as 40% if not handled carefully.

Shirley

I too have quenched my wares post reduction. And they definitely ended up with some nice copper effects.